District Council of Mount Muirhead

The District Council of Mount Muirhead was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1914.

District Council of Mount Muirhead South Australia
District Council of Mount Muirhead
Coordinates	37°35′31″S 140°20′38″E
Established	1888
Abolished	1914
LGAs around District Council of Mount Muirhead: Kennion Beachport Mount Muirhead Kennion Mayurra/Millicent Mayurra/Millicent Tantanoola

History

According to South Australian local government historian Sue Marsden "development of South Australia's South East was greatly helped by drainage schemes. Elsewhere in South Australia the Local Board of Main Roads was the precursor to local government, but in the South East it was district drainage boards."^[1]

The original South-East Drainage District was formed in April 1876.^[1] Part of this district and part of the Tantanoola Drainage District within the vicinity of the Hundred of Mount Muirhead were split off later in 1876 to form a new drainage district called Mount Muirhead Drainage District.^[1] In 1879 the Mount Muirhead district was expanded to include more of the South-East district. On 27 April 1882 both the Mount Muirhead and South-East districts were dissolved and a new (second) Mount Muirhead Drainage District was established along with the new drainage district of Mayurra.^[1]

The District Council of Mount Muirhead was established in 1888 by the enactment of the District Councils Act 1887, a statewide legislative push to ensure all settled areas of the state be under local governance. It stated that all existing drainage districts (and the accompanying drainage boards) were to effectively become district councils.^[2]

On 4 June 1914, Mount Muirhead district was annexed by the District Council of Millicent. The enlarged council area was divided into five wards: Central, Mayurra, Mount Muirhead, Nangula, and Rendlesham.^[1]

References

1. Marsden, Susan (2012). "LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: A HISTORY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COUNCILS to 1936" (PDF). Retrieved 22 January 2019.
2. "The District Councils Act (No 419 of 50 and 51 Vic, 1887)". Government of South Australia. 1887. DISTRICT OF TANTANOOLA.-Comprising the Drainage District of Tantanoola and that portion of the Hundred of Hindmarsh not included in any other district.